John McLaughlin resurrected the esteemed old
Mahavishnu Orchestra for his mid-'80s quintet, even getting old mate
Billy Cobham to fill the drum slot on the band's first album. But this is an entirely different conception than any of the '70s
Mahavishnu outfits. The sound is cooler, less strident, more thoroughly dominated by advanced electronic textures -- including a sleekly elegant digital guitar played through a Synclavier. Instead of a violin,
Bill Evans contributes some swirling and sometimes bop-flavored work on saxes, and
McLaughlin gets mobile but not overly combustible support from keyboardist
Mitch Forman and bassist
Jonas Hellborg. The homages continue; the opening of "Nostalgia" is exactly that, a throwback to "In a Silent Way" as filtered through digital gear. While this is undeniably prog-minded, beautifully played electric music, it is not terribly absorbing; the quality of the material and the intensity level aren't too high. ~ Richard S. Ginell